Today I sat on an interview panel for the county science coordinator. I cannot nor would not want to disclose any of the results of the interview. I can say though that it was an incredibly interesting process and it gave me great insight into the position itself and what they are looking for in a coordinator. Perhaps it was most interesting because that could very well have been me on the other side of the table today.

I thought very long and hard about applying for the position. In fact, I went so far as to complete the whole application on Ed-Join, but stopped short of hitting submit. I chatted with one of the Assistant Superintendents about the gig, and felt that it wasn't the right time. I'm halfway through a doctoral program and my time and attention are really divided. I don't think I could be the coordinator I'd want to be and still finish my coursework and dissertation. My other concern was about my level of administrative experience, which is essentially non-existent. I don't manage people, budgets or grants...yet. I have input into some of those things, but it's limited. And of course being a successful administrator is far more than that. They are responsible for crafting vision, being an effective instructional leader, etc.

Participating in the interviews today really gave me great insight into the skills needed to be successful at the county level. In reflecting on the day, I know that I need to work on developing some specific components of my skillset. At least I know what they are and I can think about how I'll work on them. I think completing the county's Tier I Administrative Services credential program will be a good first step and I'm hopeful that I will have other opportunities within the district to continue to develop my leadership skills. This past year was a year of tremendous growth in ways that I had not even imagined and I am sure that this year will be similar.

The big challenge that I saw today (in very general terms) is being grounded well enough in the classroom while still having enough rich supervisory experience in a leadership position. So, I need to think about how to strike that balance carefully in the years to come if this is the right path for me. So, today, I'm thankful for the experience of sitting through the interviews and the clarity and foresight I think it gives me as I continue through my career.